How You Can Prevent Loss of USB Drives

Thursday, March 24, 2011

When you hear about USB flash drives in the headlines, they’re often associated with data breaches or missing devices. A recent study even concluded that thousands of flash drives were left behind at laundromats every year. It makes you think, why is this happening? What are users doing that causes them to leave flash drives behind? Perhaps more importantly, what aren’t they doing? Problems like this often require simple solutions. So how can you prevent misplacing your USB drive?

– Start with something basic like a lanyard. Typically made from nylon or polyester, these sturdy lanyards can rest comfortably and safely around your neck at all times so you don’t have to think about where you set it down. When not in use, they can be carefully placed on a hook or knob. Since USB lanyards are long and typically brightly colored, they are easy to find when you go to put it back around your neck.

– Stick it on a key ring. By placing your flash drive on a key ring, it stays alongside your important home, work and car keys. By earning a spot next to these vital everyday items, you have less of a chance of misplacing it separately or in general. Condensing your life to one key ring makes it less tasking to keep track of everything and therefore makes it easier to be responsible. Additionally, the USB key ring concept could function on the zipper or loop of a backpack or purse.

– Incorporate it into your jewelry. If you make your USB drive a part of what you wear, it’s not only easy and safe to transport, but it also becomes a noticeable part of your accessories. If you walk away and see that a piece of your jewelry appears incomplete, you’ll more likely remember to pick it up before you leave your computer. There are a number of different ways to turn your jewelry into a custom USB drive: wristbands, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, cufflinks.

– Utilize USB packaging. Flash drives can be small, which makes them harder to find. However, if you make it a habit to store it in a USB case, you have a greater chance of finding it faster, which can spare you a lot of panic. Pouches, tins, plastic cases, and cardboard boxes are just a few possible options.

Okay, so let’s say you have a custom flash drive that has implemented all of these tips and despite your best efforts, you still manage to lose it. Not to fear. If you’re proactive, our USB data loading services allow you to encrypt your important data so that it can only be accessed by you and your password. That way, if it gets lost and consequently falls into the wrong hands, it’s useless to the hacker and your personal information remains protected.

An extra tip in the event of data loss—back up your content as often as possible so that you are not completely out of luck.

What creative ways can you think of to prevent misplacing your flash drives? We want your input!